Detailed discussion about saying Ameen Silently during Salaah being Sunnah

﻿Saying
aameen after completing the recitation of Surah Fatihah holds great virtues and
is a sunnah of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam). A hadith states, "When
the imaam says 'ghairil maghdhoobi alayhim waladh dhalleen', say aameen (because
the angels say aameen and) whichever person s aameen coincides with the aameen
of the malaikah, all his past sins are forgiven. " 1

There is no controversy whatsoever regarding the virtues of
aameen and all the scholars are unanimous that to say it is sunnah. The
difference of opinion however, is regarding whether aameen should be proclaimed
audibly or silently. The fact that Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said
aameen aloud as well as silently should not be made an issue of great debate. At
times, it is treated as such a serious matter that some of those who follow the
view of saying it aloud, begin to label others who prefer the opinion of saying
it silently as being ignorant or sometimes even astray.

It must be realised that the difference of opinion is merely
regarding which is the better of the two, i.e. is it sunnah and more virtuous to
say aameen aloud or is it more preferable to say it silently. Ibnul Qayyim (RA),
explaining the nature of this issue writes in his book Zaadul Ma 'aad, "This is
merely a common difference of opinion in which there should be no criticism
levelled at the one who says aameen aloud and neither at the one who says it
silently. This issue is like that of Raf-ul-yadayn. "2

Thus, the following will constitute a
combined study of particular verses of the Holy Qur'an and ahadith of
Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam), which are relevant to the issue of
aameen in order to derive the more preferable procedure. It is a true and
established fact that Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) did proclaim the
aameen aloud as well as silently and the Hanafis accept that also. However, the
question is, for how long a period did Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam)
say aameen loudly? Apparently there seems to be no evidence which establishes
that aameen was said aloud on a permanent basis. The Hanafis assert that it was
said aloud over a few days only, for educational purposes. It was said in this
manner to teach the Sahaabah (RA) that they should also say aameen at the
completion of Surah Fatihah,
but other Ulama assert the contrary and say that aameen should be said aloud at
all times (in the jahri prayers). Therefore, the need arises to analyse the
various evidences presented by the different mazahib.

﻿The
various opinions explained:

(i) The imaam's role in the Sirri salaah:

All the scholars agree that the imaam will say aameen
silently.

(ii) The imaam's role in the jahri salaah:

Imaam Malik (RA) and lmaam Abu Hanifa (RA) are of the opinion
that aameen will be said silently by the imaam. Another group's view is that it
should be said audibly by him.

(iii) The muqtadi s role in the salaah:

Imaam Abu Hanifa (RA) and Imaam Malik's (RA) opinion is that
the muqtadi should say aameen silently. This is also the later view of Imaam
Shafi'ee (RA). However, another group's view is that the muqtadi should say it
audibly.

As previously mentioned, the difference of opinion is only
regarding which of the two methods is more virtuous because technically
speaking, to say aameen itself is by consensus a sunnah act whether said aloud
or silently. It is neither fardh nor an integral part of salaah.

﻿The word aameen according to the most correct
analysis is understood to be a word of prayer used to beseech and request Allah.
It means 'accept my prayer' and it is usually said following a supplication. The
Qur'an has also given indications towards aameen being a dua or a prayer itself.
In Surah Yunus, the supplication of Moosa Alayhis salaam is revealed after which
are the words, "Verily the invocation of you both is accepted." 3

Allah has used a dual tense here and said, "The prayer of you
both has been accepted." How can Allah be saying 'of you both' when only Moosa
Alayhis salaam was making the supplication and there is no mention at all of any
dua coming from Haroon Alayhis salaam? Still Allah uses the words 'The dua of
you both has been accepted' which indicates that Haroon Alayhis salaam must have
also been invoking Allah Ta'ala somehow or the other. The only logical
explanation which could possibly be given for it is that Moosa Alayhis salaam
was supplicating and Haroon Alayhis salaam was endorsing his brother's every
prayer with 'aameen.

Hafiz Ibn Hajar (RA) also states a very similar opinion in
Fathul Baari where he writes, "The one saying aameen is known as the supplicant
as it is stated in the words of Allah, 'The supplications of both of you have
been accepted. 'Moosa Alayhis salaam was making the supplication and Haroon
Alayhis salaam was saying aameen as narrated by Ibn Mardawayh (RA) regarding
Hadhrat Anas (RA) hadith. "5

Thus, once it is understood that aameen
has been classified as ﻿a
dua, Allah teaches us the etiquette's of supplication in the Qur'an. He says,
"Invoke your lord with humility and in secret. He likes not the aggressors. "6

Allah commands that the prayers and supplications be made to
him in silence and with utmost tranquillity and sincerity. The Qur'an in a
number of places, presents examples of how the various Anbiyaa Alayhimus salaam
would invoke Allah. Relating the calmness of Zakariyya AIayhis salaam beseeching
his Lord, the Qur'an says, "When he called out his Lord (Allah) - a call in
secret" 7. Other than this, the Qur'an expounds on the methods utilised by
various other Anbiyaa (Special Envoys of Allah to Mankind) in their
supplications, "Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used
to call on Us with hope and fear, and they used to humble themselves before
Us."8

At another point the Qur'an gives us a glimpse of the Day
when the Trumpet will be blown. It says, "And all voices will be humbled for the
Most Beneficent (Allah), and nothing shall you hear but the low voice of their
'footsteps"9. This all leads to the understanding that because aameen is a dua,
it should be said silently. The various envoys of Allah also preferred to say
their duas silently because they knew they were beseeching the One who was As
Samee ' (the All Hearing) and Al Qareeb (one who is very near) and there
remained no need to raise the voice in praying to him and invoking him.

Moreover, RasoolulIah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) advised
and counselled the Companions to beseech Allah silently in a number of ahadith
He informed them that Allah is Qareeb and Samee ' thus there is no need for them
to pray so loudly. In the same way, as aameen is also a dua it will be more
preferable to proclaim it silently.

﻿It may have been misconceived from the above that
the Hanafis seem to have based their view only on reasoning and on mere analogy.
Therefore, in the following we will present authentic ahadith which should
remove such misunderstandings and be concrete proof that the Hanafis are totally
on the sunnah in saying that the aameen should be said inaudibly.

1. It is mentioned in the hadith of Samurah Ibn Jundub (RA)
and Imran Ibn Husain (RA) that they had a conversation. Samurah (RA) informed of
two occasions when Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) would become silent
(during prayer). One was following the initial takbeer and the second was when
he would complete waladh dhalleen. Imran Ibn Husain (RA) refused to believe this
so they wrote to Ubay Ibn Ka'ab (RA). The answer they received in reply was, "Samurah
(RA) has remembered correctly (meaning that he was correct in his statement)."10

Allamah Nimwi (RA) commenting on this hadith states, "The
first silence was in order to recite thana, and the second pause was made in
order to allow the aameen to be said silently Imran Ibn Husain (RA) probably
refuted Samurah (RA) due to the fact the second silence was so brief that he
probably did not think it worthy of mention. On the other hand, because the
first silence was significantly long, he mentioned it. Clearly then, the second
silence was the one in which aameen was silently recited, otherwise there is no
apparent reason to break the recital for a brief moment at that particular time.
"

This hadith supplements the fact that
the imaam would say aameen silently. The reason for this is that Rasoolullah (Sallallahu
alayhi wasallam) informed, "Make sure you say aameen because the angels and
﻿the
imaam also say it. " If it had been more preferable for the imaam to say it
loudly, Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) would have had no reason to
inform the Companions about it because they would be able to hear the aameen
anyway. Thus, the fact that Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) had to
inform them that the imaam also says aameen (although silently) is proof that
the aameen was usually said in a subdued voice. "

3. Wa'il Ibn Hujr (RA) narrates that he performed salaah in
the company of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) who, when reaching
ghayril maghdhoobi alayhim waladh dhalleen, said aameen keeping his voice
subdued. 12

This hadith gives clarification that aameen was said silently
by Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam).

What is understood from this hadith is
that if it had been more preferable for the muqtadi to say aameen loudly, the
wording of the hadith would have probably been something like this, ''When the
imaam says aameen, you also say it." However, Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi
wasallam) knowing
that the aameen would be said silently and everybody may not hear it, instructed
that when the imaam's completion of waladh dhalleen is heard, the muqtadi should
also say aameen silently.

Note: Those ahadith which actually contain the words 'when
the imaam says aameen' have been interpreted to mean 'when the time comes for
the imaam to say aameen'. Ulama have said that those ahadith will not be taken
for their literal implications and they have also presented various evidences to
reinforce this claim.

5. Shu 'bah (RA) reports from Alqamah (RA) who narrates from
his father that his father performed salaah with Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi
wasallam) who, when reaching ghayril maghdhoobi alayhim waladh dhalleen said
aameen and kept his voice subdued whilst saying it." 14

﻿As before, this is also clear evidence in favour of
the Hanafis that Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said aameen silently.
Now to supplement these ahadith, we will take a closer look at how the
Companions (RA) and Tabi 'een (RA) interpreted the concept of aameen.

1.According to the agreement
of all the Ulama, aameen does not constitute any part of the Qur ' an. For this
reason it should not be said aloud following the Fatihah so that nobody mistakes
it to be part of the Qur'an along with Surah Fatihah. A misconception like this
could possibly occur due to the fact that it is the qira 'ah of the Qur'an which
has been stipulated necessary, in the state of qiyaam. Only portions of the
Qur'an should be recited aloud in the qiyaam (in the jahri prayers). Thus, when
somebody will reads aameen aloud, it may well lead others to assume that aameen
is part of the Qur'an.

2.According to some Ulama,
bismillah forms part of the Qur'an. In fact, they believe it is a verse of Surah
Fatihah but they do not say it aloud. This proves that any prayer (like aameen)
'The Issue of J\ameen 'ExyCainea which, according to all the scholars does not
constitute part of the Qur ' an at all, will certainly not be said aloud.

The word 'madda' in the Arabic context of this hadith means
'he stretched'. Here in this hadith, the word has been taken to mean that
Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) stretched the Alif(in the aameen). It
has not been taken to mean that Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said it
loudly. Wa'il Ibn Hujr (RA), the narrator, clarifies this interpretation in
another report (hadith number three mentioned above). He clearly mentions in
that narration that Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) subdued his voice
whilst saying aameen.

2.Abu Hurayrah (RA) narrates
that when Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) recited waladh dhalleen he
followed it by saying aameen which could be heard from the first row. Ibn Majah
has added that the masjid echoed with its sound? 19

Firstly, it should be understood that this hadith is weak.
Bishr Ibn Rafi is amongst the chain of narrators. He has been pointed out by
various Ulama with a number of strong statements.

(i)Imaarn Bukhari (RA) says,
"He should not be followed in his narration's."

(ii)Imaarn Ahmad (RA) terms him
dha 'eef.

(iii)Nasai (RA) states, "He is
not strong."

(iv)Ibn Hibban (RA) states, "He
narrates a lot of fabrications."" Along with this, the second point to consider
is that if the sound 20 of aameen only reached the first row as the hadith
mentions, then how did the whole masjid echo with it (as the report of Abu Daud
tells us)? If it did echo throughout the masjid, then everybody within should
have heard. It is not clear how the narrator revealed that it was heard only
from the first row, because if it had been so loud as to cause the whole masjid
to vibrate, it must have reached the ears of even those who were in the rear.
Thus, the hadith is self contradictory and cannot be accepted.

A General Answer:

Now, in order to address all the other apparently
contradicting ahadith, the general answer for them would be that no one rejects
the fact that Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said aameen aloud. The
Hanafis also accept that it was said aloud, but they say it was only done
temporarily for a brief period. There is no evidence to be found in any
narration indicating on the contrary that aameen was said aloud on a permanent
basis. The few times Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) did say it audibly
was to educate the Companions concerning the emphasis of aameen. Hadhrat Umar
(RA) also did the same with thana; he read it aloud for a few days to teach the
Companions, then continued reading it silently. Wa'il Ibn Hujr (RA) confirming
this explanation states, "I do not think Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam)
said it (meaning aameen) aloud except to teach us. " 21

Ibn Jareer At Tabari (RA) states, "Both types of reports (the
ones which reveal aameen to be said aloud and those that describe it as being
said in a low tone) have been transmitted from Rasoolullah (Sallallahu alayhi
wasallam) and they are both sahih." Nonetheless, since most of the predecessing
Ulama have given priority to the silent method, it will be accepted as the
correct and more preferable way to say the aameen. To go with this Allamah Darn
Qutni (RA) has confessed that there are no sahih ahadith as regards to saying
the aameen aloud.

Ibnul Qayyim (RA) beautifully caps it
all. He explains in Zaadul Ma'aad, "There is nothing wrong if the imaam says
aloud at times in order to teach the muqtadi. Umar (RA) recited thana aloud to
educate the muqtadis and Ibn Abbas (RA) recited Surah Fatihah in Salaatul
Janazah (in which it is usually recited silently according to opinion of some
schools of thought) to teach them that it is sunnah (to recite it in that salaah).
Likewise, the issue of raising the voice (sometimes by Rasoolullah (Sallallahu
alayhi wasallam)) for saying aameen is of the same nature. "22